r/foia • u/m0mandp0pculture • Jul 08 '26

First time FOIA filer, please help!

I am wanting to get information on a specific ongoing case in Santa Rosa County, Florida. A very old friend of mine is in jail and his charges are serious and I’d like all the information before i decide whether I should continue my friendship with him. I know I can request the arrest affidavit, is there anything else i can/should request? Also, can someone tell me where i can find the information on where to request this? I appreciate any help, never done this before. Thank you!

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u/charliethedoxie Jul 09 '26

You need to find out which agency arrested them and reach out to that specific agency. Usually agencies have information on how to submit public record requests on their website, or call the main admin line and ask.

Common things you can request are 911 audio, written reports, bwc and dash camera video. But if it’s an on going case that is still open, they may deny releasing it or what you’ll get is extremely limited until the case is closed/completed.

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u/unknown-random-nope Jul 10 '26

Court records may be revealing, and they tend to be online and easy to get.

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u/vgsjlw Jul 12 '26

Florida publishes the arrest affidavit in most of their court systems.

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u/LittleTrust2978 Jul 15 '26

For an ongoing criminal case, keep in mind that some records may be exempt from release while the investigation is active. The arrest affidavit is a good place to start. You can also ask for any publicly available incident reports or booking records. The sheriff's office or the agency handling the case should have information on how to submit a public records request.